Challenges of formulating and implementing school strategic plans in public secondary schools in East Wanga Division, Kakamega County- Kenya

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Strategic planning is part of strategic management approach to development adopted by most of the organizations, institutions and governments world over. For effective school administration, principals, Board of governors and parents will find strategic plans helpful in coordinating and directing effort towards common goals since a strategic plan is a line of action designed by the school to achieve desired targets within a given time frame using available resources. The Ministry of Education (MOE) acknowledges the importance of school strategic plans and has made it a requirement for all public secondary schools. The preparation of school strategic plans in schools has an impact on school‟s performance and lack of it lead to general lack of direction in the school effectiveness. All public secondary schools in East Wanga Division fall short of realizing their mission and vision, a situation that is manifested in poor performance in K.C.S.E for the last three years compared to schools in South and central Divisions of the District. This is attributable among other factors to the lack of functional school strategic plans. There was therefore need to establish factors that hinder formulation and implementation of school strategic plans in the Division. The objectives of the study were; Find out the extent to which Strategic planning has been understood by stakeholders of public secondary schools in Mumias District. To establish whether schools formulate school strategic plans and to investigate factors hindering implementation of school strategic plans. The research was guided by a „strategic thinking‟ approach which assumes that any formal plan is open to change and refinement. The descriptive survey method was used in the study. The study involved all the 16 public secondary schools that comprised of 1 girl‟s boarding school, 1 boys boarding school and mixed day secondary schools. Data was collected using questionnaires whose content validity was ensured by the task supervisors who are specialists in the area of study. Completed data instruments were collected from 8 Board of Governors chairpersons, 8 principals and 8 teachers representing 50% of the study sample. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations and percentages) were used to summarize and present the data. This study established that most schools in East Wanga do not have strategic plans and several factors including lack of funds and knowledge embed its formulation. Notably, significant stakeholders in education in East Wanga are not involved in the running and management of schools. The study concluded that strategic Planning provides the „big picture‟ of where you are, where you are going and how you are going to get there. To get „there‟ schools require solid financial and human personnel. The findings of the study if adopted will be useful to the ministry officials in addressing the problems identified for improvement. The target population was all public schools in the Division.